11 Free Toys Every Child Should Enjoy

by Andrea Mulder-Slater

Who says kids need store-bought toys to have fun? Here are 11 ways for kids to have a blast with everyday items.

View slide show and ideas here
http://www.todaysparent.com/free-toys

Help Kids Cope with Tragedy

by Dr. Charles Fay

What to Say to Help Them Feel Safe and Secure

At a difficult time like this in our nation's history, parents all over this country-and the world-are wondering, "What do I tell my kids about this? What do I do?"

Children have an incredible capacity for strength, and parents can play a powerful role in helping their children cope with horribly difficult events. Here are some practical guidelines...

Read his article here
http://www.loveandlogic.com/pages/tragedy.html

Reduce Homework Hassles with these Simple Tips

by Dr. Robert Myers, Child Psychologist

Homework can be difficult for most kids during the school year, but it can become a major challenge when you have a child with ADHD. But here’s some good news for exhausted parents: if you take the right steps now, at the beginning of the school year, homework hassles can be kept to a minimum.

Read article here
http://www.empoweringparents.com/reduce-homework-hassles-with-simple-tips.php

Great Storm & Recovery Coloring Bk & Parent Guide

I found this while looking up resources for myself and all those in my area affected by the Hurricane and thought I would share it with all of you! It is a free PDF download, enjoy :)

Download copy here
http://www.mentorresearch.org/Documents/StormFloodColoringBookParentGuide.pdf

Putting a 13-Year-Old Child Safely on Facebook

By Nick Bilton

An e-mail in my inbox Monday morning from my editor had a scary subject line: “Help!” When I opened the message, I read this:“My daughter is 13-years-old today and so, as promised, I let her sign up for Facebook. YIKES. Now I am freaking out over her privacy settings!”

Even for an adult, Facebook’s privacy settings are as daunting as trying to do your taxes with an abacus. For teenagers, unaware of the consequences of their online actions, using Facebook incorrectly could potentially leave a digital trail that might follow them all the way through high school, college and into the real world.

Read this great article and tips here
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/putting-a-13-year-old-child-safely-on-facebook

Poison Prevention

Children Act Fast – So Do Poisons

Did you know that each year, more than 1.2 million children ages 5 and under are unintentionally poisoned? Whether it's medication on your dresser, cleaning supplies under your kitchen sink, cosmetics in your bathroom or carbon monoxide from gas appliances in your home, you can take simple steps to keep your kids safe.

Read information and find out more resources here
http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-spotlight/poison-prevention-week

Hurricane Sandy

UPDATE: 11/27 - we still are working through some issues with getting our house inspected and our red tag (not safe) lifted but are so happy and grateful we at least have a home. Although it is a rough rode, fraught with a great deal of not knowing and stress, we are happy that we made it through the storm and are alive and well. Thank you again for everyone who has been sending good wishes and their prayers and thoughts, we greatly appreciate them!

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I would just like to send out warm wishes and greetings to all of my visitors and followers here! Around 10/9 I had some computer issues which prevented me from posting here and that was followed up with Hurricane Sandy. We began to prepare for her possible downfall upon us here in NJ that Friday 10/26, with so much to be done outside, stocking up, etc.

My son and myself rode out the night before over in our home (hard hit in Keansburg), but was forced to leave that Monday afternoon by the State EMO who told us we had to leave now, so we did with the clothes on our backs and our 3 cats. It was the most horrowing experience I have had in my life thus far! As we rode through the winds, the debris flying at his car, cats crying, I began to just sink inside with this horrible feeling I might not be coming home.

We hunkered down with my parents and family down the rode (who were also under a mandatory evac order), praying we would all make it through. The power went out a few hours there after and all we were left with was darkness, candles and my mom's scanner to keep us abreast of what was happening with the Storm. It was not until almost 2 days later that we were able to contact anyone, which was very discerning and quite anxious of a feeling. My sister in Colorado kept us informed of everything including the surrounding devastation right down our road we knew nothing about.

7 days later, tired, worn out and extremely relieved (hungry too), we began to venture out to see what the world had unfolded while we sat helpless in our home. The destruction to the surrounding little Bayshore towns I have called my home for 1/2 my life is just not measurable. Right smack in between this horror called the aftermath of Sandy sits my parents little town, basically unscathed from her wrath, a sure blessing from GOD! A few minutes in any direction looks like a scene from a horror or war movie, it is just not real. My town, near the boardwalk is virtually destroyed, with our little boardwalk a mangled mess, homes ripped out, gone, others waiting for approval to be lived in again.

I never thought in my wildest dreams that something like this could happen to us? We have ridden out many storms while living down here and nothing could prepare us for what we would endure for the next 10 days and beyond. I am so grateful that I have a home to go to, loss of some food, power and a rug; a home to go to, gosh what lovely sounds of joy to my ears! It will take me a week or so to get back into the swing of things and begin posting here and on all my blogs, so I ask your patience and understanding :) Thank you for supporting me and the Heart of Parenting, Patricia from NJ

The Wonders of Reality Discipline

This clever discipline method is less exhausting and more successful than ranting, raving, blaming, pleading, begging or threatening.

by Shana Schutte

"While child psychologist Dr. Kevin Leman is an out-of-the-box parenting problem solver who might buy into the lipstick method if it worked, Dr. Leman instead teaches parents about the effective "Reality Discipline." This clever method of getting little "ankle biters" to obey is less exhausting and more successful than ranting, raving, blaming, pleading, begging or threatening. "

Read article here
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/effective_biblical_discipline/why_kids_misbehave/the_wonders_of_reality_discipline.aspx

7 Ways to Find Affordable Health Care

by Shauna

Health care, like many commodities nowadays, is becoming more costly than ever. Prescription medications, surgery, inpatient care—the prices of all of these things are skyrocketing. With such high prices, how do you manage to find health care that you can easily afford and still have enough money left over to pay for the other things that you need and want? This article will show you seven ways in which you can do so.

Read article here
http://adventuresof8.com/2012/09/7-ways-to-find-affordable-health-care-guest-post

Healthy Children (Resources, tips, articles, more)

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was founded in June 1930 by 35 pediatricians who met in Detroit in response to the need for an independent pediatric forum to address children’s needs. When the AAP was established, the idea that children have special developmental and health needs was a new one. Preventive health practices now associated with child care – such as immunizations and regular health exams – were only just beginning to change the custom of treating children as “miniature adults."

View site, check resources, search topics here
http://www.healthychildren.org

10 Important Trick or Treat Halloween Safety Tips to Teach Your Kids

Guest Post by kim on twokidsandacoupon.com

Halloween is just a month away, and as we start shopping for costumes, planning spooky gatherings and talking about trick-or-treat it is also a great time to start talking about safety tips as well. Trick or treating is lots of fun, but it can also have some hidden dangers if you are not aware. Here are some great safety tips to go through with your child before the big night.

Read tips here
http://twokidsandacoupon.com/2012/09/parenting-guest-post-10-important-trick-or-treat-halloween-safety-tips-to-teach-your-kids.html

8 Discipline Mistakes Parents Make

by Amanda May

You know the drill: You give your child an ultimatum -- "Get dressed or we're staying home!" -- and naturally she says, "Okay, we'll stay home!" Might as well plant a big "L" on your forehead. We all see our discipline efforts backfire on occasion (hey, you're tired!), and of course there are those battles just not worth fighting (no kid ever flunked preschool because his teeth were furry). But you do need to prove you're the parent at least some of the time. Learning to avoid these discipline land mines can help you hop to it.

Read tips here
http://www.parenting.com/article/8-discipline-mistakes-parents-make

"Can I Have a Hug?" Helping Children with Hello and Goodbye

by Patty Wipfler

A heartfelt Q&A posted by a concerned parent and the thought felt answer posted by Patty Wipfler. Enjoy!

Read article here
http://www.handinhandparenting.org/news/191/64/Can-I-Have-a-Hug-Helping-Children-with-Hello-and-Goodbye

10 Questions to Help You Reconnect with Your Kids

posted by Eliza Clark

School has started, ways to spend time and connect with your kids!

"...So we’re looking for ways to reconnect at the end of the day. As most of you probably know, asking kids “how was school today?” usually yields a one-word answer: fine, good, or OK. Not terribly informative. Here are some questions that we’ve had more luck with. If you’ve got any good ones, let us know!"

Read her article here
http://www.savvysource.com/parenting/13477-10-questions-to-ask-your-kids-after-a-day-at-elementary-school

10 Things You Didn't Know Gmail Did Tips and Tricks for Gmail

by Marziah Karch, About.com Guide

Gmail is really useful. It's free without feeling cheap. It doesn't add ads to the signature line of your email messages, and it gives you a very generous amount of storage space. Still not convinced? What's So Great About Gmail? Here's a few things you may not have known you can do with Gmail.

Read article here
http://google.about.com/od/gmailtipsandtricks/tp/Gmail_Tips.htm?nl=1

Top 10 Tips for Raising Your Childs Self Esteem

by Jennifer Shakeel

In today’s society it is hard for an grown adult to have high self esteem, so imagine what it is like for a child. Bombarded by images on television, in magazines, billboards as well as the radio that very few people can live up to. It is important that we are teaching our children how to like who they are as people. Liking yourself is what self esteem is.

Read her tips here
http://www.more4kids.info/658/tips-for-self-esteem

60 Inspiring Examples of Twitter in the Classroom

by Staff Writers

Social media offers some great opportunities for learning in the classroom, bringing together the ability to collaborate, access worldwide resources, and find new and interesting ways to communicate in one easily accessible place. Teachers around the world have found innovative ways to use Twitter as a teaching tool, and we’ve shared many of these great ideas here with you.

Read article here
http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2011/12/60-inspiring-examples-of-twitter-in-the-classroom

16 Unexpected Uses for Toothpaste

Thought it was just for maintaining a healthy smile? Guess again! Toothpaste has a ton of uses!

Read list of uses here
http://www.rd.com/home/16-unexpected-ways-to-use-toothpaste

20 Tips to Help You Live a Greener Lifestyle

by Miranda Marquit

"The interest in greener living is on the rise, in large part to feelings of increased responsibility toward the environment, as well as the recognition that a greener lifestyle can actually improve your health. Many of us are in various stages of sustainable living. I know that my lifestyle isn’t sustainable right now, but I do take small steps toward living a greener life.."

Read her tips here
http://personaldividends.com/20-tips-to-help-you-live-a-greener-lifestyle

75 Painless Money-Saving Tips

by Bob Berger

"Last week I wrote about ways to develop the habit of spending less than you make. To continue that topic, here are some practical and painless money saving tips to help you save some cash each month."

Read his tips here
http://www.doughroller.net/smart-spending/51-painless-money-saving-tips

Kitchen Tip: Can, Freeze & Preserve

How to Can, Freeze, Dry and Preserve Any Fruit or Vegetable at Home

View information here
http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm#Jams

Free Reverse 1800# Look Up Directory

FREE REVERSE PHONE NUMBER LOOKUP database built by YOU, its users. Our strength is in our numbers - by sharing pieces of information each of us has we are putting together a free and public phone number directory with information no other service can provide.

View site and add your own entries here
http://800notes.com

Annual Pass for Parks and Recreation Areas

Consider buying an Annual Pass if you enjoy visiting America's beautiful national parks and recreation areas.

The $80 pass entitles the pass owner and accompanying passengers (or up to four adults at sites where per-person fees are charged) admittance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas. Learn more about where you can use the pass and what it covers.

Other kinds of passes include:
Senior Pass -- $10 lifetime pass for U.S. citizens who are 62 years and older
Access Pass -- Free lifetime pass for permanently disabled U.S. citizens
Volunteer Pass -- Annual Pass awarded to volunteers who contribute 500 or more hours

View more details here
http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html

New Digital Spam: How Bad Guys Try to Trick You; How to Avoid the Traps

'The latest forms of digital spam include clickjacking, junk apps, bad QR codes, and much more. Here's what you can do to stay safe.'

View information here
http://www.pcworld.com/article/249300/new_digital_spam_how_bad_guys_try_to_trick_you_how_to_avoid_the_traps.html

Programs for Schools to Raise Funds

Box Tops for Education
http://www.boxtops4education.com

Campbell's Labels for Education
http://www.labelsforeducation.com

Cool School Cafe
http://www.donorschoose.org/homepage/main.html?zone=0

Donors Choose
http://www.donorschoose.org/homepage/main.html?zone=0

Escrip
http://backtoschools.escrip.com

Fast Fixin Home Team School Rewards Program
http://www.fastfixin.com/home_team.php?section=5&catid=5

Funding Factory
http://www.fundingfactory.com

Harris Teeter's Together in Education program good in NC, SC, TN, VA, FL, GA, MD, and Washington DC
http://www.harristeeter.com/default.aspx?pageId=172

Ingels Tools for Schools
http://www.inglestoolsforschools.com/index.asp

Kemp's Nickels for Schools Program
http://www.kemps.com/Promo/Default.aspx?id=139

Kohl's Cares for Kids - fundraising program
http://www.kohlscorporation.com/AboutKohls/AboutKohls01.htm

Office Depot 5% Back to Schools Program
http://www.community.officedepot.com/local.asp#hks

Target 'Take Charge of Education'
http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-005171

Tyson Project A+
http://www.tyson.com/projectaplus

Using Coupons and Saving Money on Groceries (6 Part Series)

Part 1: Don't Be a Brand Snob
http://www.thoughtsofthatmom.com/2010/08/sos-mom-saver-using-coupons-part-1.html

Part 2: Know the Coupon Policy at Your Stores
http://www.thoughtsofthatmom.com/2010/09/sos-mom-saver-using-coupons-part-2.html

Part 3: What If I Have a Problem?
http://www.thoughtsofthatmom.com/2011/01/using-coupons-and-saving-money-on.html

Part 4: Store Cards
http://www.thoughtsofthatmom.com/2011/01/using-coupons-saving-money-on-groceries.html

Part 5: Where Do I Find Coupons?
http://www.thoughtsofthatmom.com/2011/01/using-coupons-saving-money-on-groceries_12.html

Part 6: Price Matching
http://www.thoughtsofthatmom.com/2011/03/sos-mom-saver-using-coupons-and-saving.html

Find Your Local Public Library

It's National Library Week. Public libraries have free books, movies, classes, and other resources for your family.

View directory search here
https://harvester.census.gov/imls/search/index.asp

8 Things Parents Should Know About Bully

by Dave Banks

The much-talked about, oft-debated documentary looks at the problem of bullying in schools from the perspective of five kids and their families, mostly from small towns. Two of the families included have lost children to suicide as a result of bullying. The stories are powerful and not only look at the problem through the victims’ eyes, but also offer some solutions for how society should deal with bullying. The film opened in New York and Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago and opened in 50 additional cities yesterday.

Read more information here
http://m.wired.com/geekdad/2012/04/bully-movie-2

Know Your Disability Insurance Options To Protect Your Family

Disability insurance provides income for you and your family in the case you are unable to work because of illness or injury. Although many people think it is unlikely something will happen to them, loss of income can lead to bankruptcy, home foreclosure and other financial troubles.

Read more and view guide here
http://blog.usa.gov/post/22721374680/know-your-disability-insurance-options-to-protect-your

These 15 tips can help your kid be 'terrific'

By John Rosemond / Family Columnist

If the frequency of my own sightings is any indication, those “My Child Is a Terrific Kid!” bumper stickers are fast becoming ubiquitous.

Curious, I did some investigating and discovered that Terrific Kids is a school-based character-building program sponsored by Kiwanis. “Terrific” is an acronym that stands for Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Responsible, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable.

Read his article here
http://www.thetimesnews.com/articles/own-54152-sightings-frequency.html

Cut Cost, Not Quality: How to Afford Better Food

by Tabitha Alterman

There’s growing evidence that industrial food just ain’t what it oughta be. Lucky for us, the path to super-nutritious food at affordable prices offers many entry points. We’ll pilot you through the diverse options in this guide to shopping smart and eating better food.

Read article here
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-afford-better-food-zm0z11zalt.aspx

7 Online Scams and How To Avoid Them

by Max Alexander

Swindlers may be following your every tweet and post, looking for a chance to fleece you. Here's how to confound seven fast-growing cons.

Read article here
http://www.rd.com/money/7-online-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them

Parenting Teens 2010: 5 Part Series

by Sue Scheff

Part 1 - Spending Time with your teens
http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/parenting-teens-2010-what-is-your-new-year-s-resolution-as-a-parent-part-1

Part 2 - Create a family Blog for you and your teens
http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/parenting-teens-2010-new-year-s-resolutions-part-2

Part 3 - Steps you can take to monitor your child's online
http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/parenting-teens-2010-new-year-s-resolution-part-3

Part 4 - Books, resources and services to educate parents online
http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/parenting-teens-2010-new-year-s-resolution-part-4

Part 5 - T.A.L.K. - Learn to communicate with your kids/teens both online and off!
http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/parenting-teens-2010-new-years-resolution-part-5

National Incentive Reading Program

Read more here
http://www.bookitbeginners.com

Donate Your Iphones & Gift Books for kids

When you donate your device, The I AM Foundation will gift a set of children’s books to a classroom, school or organization.

Read for more details here
http://iamfoundation.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/donate-your-iphone-and-gift-books-to-kids

Hospital Compare Site(s)

US Dept of Health & Human Services
http://hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/hospital-search.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Why Not the Best, Compare Site
http://whynotthebest.org

Know Your Rights! | Electronic Frontier Foundation

Your computer, your phone, and your other digital devices hold vast amounts of personal information about you and your family. But how does this work in the real world?...

Read information here
https://www.eff.org/wp/know-your-rights

What You Need to Know for Your 2011 Tax Filing and What’s New for 2012

by Bonnie Lee, Fox Business

Tax season is here again! While the filing deadline might be a couple of months away, this month you will receive all required third-party reporting documents...Note that the due date for filing this year is April 17. If a tax due date falls on a weekend or a holiday, the next business day becomes the due date.

Read information here
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/what-you-need-to-know-for-your-2011-tax-filing-and-what%E2%80%99s-new-for-2012.html

7 Smart Steps Every New Homeowner Should Take

by Amy Fontinelle

Turning the key in a lock that no landlord has access to, reading in a hammock in your own backyard and painting your dining room bright red - what could be more exciting than making the leap from renter to first-time homeowner? Getting swept up in all the excitement is a wonderful feeling, but some first-time homeowners lose their heads and make mistakes that can jeopardize everything they've worked so hard to earn.

Read post here
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/7-Smart-Steps-Every-New-investopedia-843490394.html?x=0